Neualmscharte - Steirischer Bodensee | Schladminger Tauern Trail: Stage 05

You start your tour at Preintalerhütte and Waldhornalm, where you cross over the creek and follow Höfertsteig #782 towards Neualmscharte/Planai. At the trail junction "Höfertsteig" you keep right (staying on trail #782), now hiking uphill towards Neualmscharte gap. Approximately after 2 hours you reach the gap, providing a great view throughout the Seewigtal valley with its 3 lakes. From there, the narrow trail at first descends through a steep chute. Eventually the trail gets a little less steep and the scenery becomes greener shortly before you reach the Obersee lake - the first of 3 lakes in the Seewigtal valley. You walk out of the valley along the shore and further down via another terrace and through clear forest to the Hüttensee lake.

Passing by along the slope above the lake you reach Hans-Wödl-Hütte where you can enjoy some refreshments. After taking a break at the hut you continue your way down into the valley along the well-maintained hiking trail. Shortly before reaching the Steirischer Bodensee lake you can make a small side-tour to the waterfall. Along the shore of the Bodensee you walk to Forellenhof inn (directly at the lake) and further out to the trail head and car parking at Seewigtalstüberl inn, from where the bus takes you back to Schladming.

The route towards Neualmscharte gap passes by about 200 m below the Wildlochsee lake which is worth a short detour.

The closest public transport is accessible at Seeleiten trail head in Untertal valley (approximately 2.5 hours hike from Preintalerhütte) or at the end of the tour described, at Seewigtalstüberl - both bus routes connecting to Schladming.

www.planaibus.at

General tourism information: www.schladming.com

Info about buses: www.planaibus.at

360° drone images

For part of the tour, get yourself an overview with our 360° drone images:

• First part of Höfersteig from Preintalerhütte: https://vonoben.schladming-dachstein.at/sommer/index.php?S=317

• Hiking map ‘Hiking WEST’ available at the information offices in the region.
• Schladming hiking map, 1:25,000, available at the Schladming information office.
• Hiking map Schladming-Dachstein, 1:50,000, available at the information offices in the region.
• Hiking guide Schladming-Dachstein by Herbert Raffalt, available at the information offices in the region.

Here you will find all hiking maps and important brochures to download.